


Shorted Love

by hazard0us



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Break Up, Cheating, Cheating Dean, M/M, Some Fluff, im so sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-26
Updated: 2015-04-26
Packaged: 2018-03-25 21:55:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3826414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hazard0us/pseuds/hazard0us
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cas finds something that should not belong in their dirty laundry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm a little bit sorry about this. It was not beta'd.

It was a sunny Saturday afternoon in Brooklyn, New York.

The usually crowded streets empty. The bustling and rumbling of the city only a slight stir.

It was Memorial Day weekend, and everyone was either visiting their loved ones or had gone away.

But in the quiet street of 75th Avenue, a couple was happily content doing chores around their apartment, not knowing about the storm that was about to hit.

******

Dean spread out on the bed- face down. He stretched his limbs and yawned. Cas busier himself picking up the laundry from the basket and sorting it out into piles. Dean sighed in contentment, when Cas was finished they were going to the movies, and he was excited. It would be their first date out since Cas got his new job.

"Dean," Cas said suddenly, Dean hummed in response without lifting his head from the comfort of his pillow. After a moment Cas spoke again, "I know you wore pink undies one time because of a dare, but I happen to know that these are not yours."

Dean's head snapped up as the words left Cas' mouth. His jaw fell to the floor as he took in the frilly pink material dangling from Cas' finger. Dean closed his mouth, a million excuses running through his head.

"So, Dean, tell me. Who's are these?"

"I don't know."

"Oh. You don't know? Well, here, let me tell you. They're Anna's. Wanna know how I know?" Cas' voice was calm, but his eyes were a deep blue, a color so different from his usual baby blues, he decided best not to answer. "Because I was there when she bought them," he finished.

Dean gritted his teeth, and prepared himself for the next words.

"Oh wait, so were you."

He was not prepared for what Cas did next. He jumbled the underwear into a ball and threw at his face. Dean sputtered and threw it on the floor, turning to see Cas' back storm out their room.

"Cas? Cas!" Dean sprang out of the bed, grabbing his abandoned jeans and pushing past the door without a shirt. Cas ignored him slamming the door of their apartment behind him. Dean cursed and shoved his feet into his gym shoes and pulled the door open. He jogged down the stairs, Cas already out the door.

Dean cursed again, Cas was fast and ran every morning- his body was built to run. But Dean could hold his own in a race with him, it's long distance Cas beats him in. So he picked up his pace.

"Cas, wait!" Dean shouted, Cas ignored him. Breaking into a sprint, he followed the black head of hair until he was close enough to grab his wrist. He spun the man around and was face to face with blazing blue eyes. Cas' pink lips were a tight line on his face, the usual laugh lines and crinkles smoothed out- making his features seem sharper. Dean swallowed the lump in his throat. Cas. Was. Pissed.

"What?" Cas asked through gritted teeth, ripping his wrist out of Dean's grasp. It threw Dean off guard and he stumbled back a step.

"Cas- please, let me-!"

"Let you what? Explain?" He snapped, his voice dripping with sarcasm, but still not raising his voice. "No, thanks." He turned around, but Dean grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.

"Cas, let me explain. Please."

Cas grit his teeth again, "Just answer me this, Dean." Dean stared at him, fists clenched, feet glued to the ground, then nodded. "Did you fuck her?"

Dean sputtered at the question, stumbling through his answer, "Cas, wha-"

  
"Did. You. Fuck. Her?" Every word was articulated, his voice deadly and low.

Dean didn't hesitate, but gingerly replied, "Yes."

Cas nodded once. His eyes still blazing, he turned to walk away, but then turned back to face him. "You know what the worse part is? I knew, Dean. You're not as subtle as you think you are. You're an open fucking book, and somewhere deep down, I knew. People would tell me, even your own brother said something was up, but I ignored them."

"I ignored them because my God I was so fucking in love with you. I was too blind to see it. I didn't think," Cas swallowed and casted his eyes to the ground.

"Cas," his name fell ragged from Dean's lips. His head snapped up, the anger gone from his eyes. Now, he looked tired, broken. "Cas, I'm, I'm-"

He didn't get to finish because Cas' fist connected with the left side of his face. His head snapped to the right, the pain was instant, and his vision blurred.

"Don't." Was all the man said. Dean's hand shot up to his face and he stared wide-eyed at Cas. Time stopped as they stared at each other, blue eyes to green. Dean could feel blood seeping out of his nose and onto the hand that still covered half his face, but he didn't care. Cas' gaze didn't waver, and Dean knew exactly what was going to happen before he opened his mouth.

"Cas," his voice was pleading, the tears finally falling.

"It's over Dean. Don't call me. Don't text me. Just don't."

And with that he walked the few steps to his car, walked around the front, opened the door, slid in, started the car, and took off. Not a backwards glance. Not one.  
Dean didn't know how long he stood there on the sidewalk, holding his cheek. His phone rang, but he didn't answer. After what seemed like hours, he open the door of the complex, and walked upstairs to his lonely apartment.

He collapsed on his bed for the second time that day, muddling the sounds of his choked sobs.

Cas was gone. He messed up.

 _1 week_  
Dean texted Cas. Several times. Not a single response.

He called more than that, and after a while, the calls started going straight to voicemail. Cas had blocked him.

Dean didn't answer anyone for that first week. He got up, went to work, came home and fell asleep.

Anna stopped by, asking for forgiveness. She tried to contact Cas too, and explain, but she too was ignored.

Dean nodded and closed the door in her face.

 _3 weeks_  
Dean tried to contact Cas through his friends, but they all rejected his attempts. There was pity in their eyes, and a spark of anger. Dean didn't try to hide his sorrow.

He knew he was wrong. Cas was the best thing that ever happened to him. And now he's gone.

 _3 months_  
"Dean, you need to go out. You've been in this apartment for months. Get some fresh air." Sam's voice was desperate on the end of the phone. Dean sighed, looking out his window, a glass of whisky in his hand.

"Are you drinking? Dean, for Christ's sakes it's not even the afternoon."

Silence.

After a while, Sam spoke again, his voice above a whisper, "Cas wouldn't want this." Dean held his breath, the name alone making his heart clench and ache. "You fucked up, yeah, and he left, but Dean, he loved you. He wouldn't want you to do this."

Dean shut his eyes tightly and took a breath, "Bye, Sammy."

Dean tipped his glass back, finishing the rest of the liquid in one sip.

Cas _had_ loved him.  
Past tense.

 _2 years_  
Dean stopped drinking.

He still hasn't gone out on a date, but he socializes with his friends: Jo, Benny, Charlie, Ash, Kevin, and Sam's there.

It's fun time, and Dean laughs, but there's something that is always missing. It makes his heart lurch.

When he gets home to his empty apartment, he remembers what.

 _4 years_  
Dean went out on a date. This girl, Lisa, beautiful, smart, and funny.

Dean ignored the way his mind kept whispering, _This isn't right._

When the night was over, he left her home, and walked back to his apartment, eyes casted down- lost in thought. He stopped suddenly at the sound of a rough and raspy chuckle. He glanced up, and the sight in front him made his heart stop.

Cas was walking towards him, his arm wrapped snuggly around the waist of a man Dean knew quite well- Balthazar. They were laughing heartedly now, and Dean envied the arm Balthazar had around Cas' shoulders. His Cas.

He reluctantly tore his gaze from them and picked up his pace, he was almost to the gate.

He stopped with his hand on the door handle at the sound of someone clearing his throat.

"Hello, Dean," Cas said behind him. He hesitated, but turned after a second, and instantly regretted it when his eyes met those sparkling baby blues that have haunted his dreams.

He swallowed the lump in his throat, "Hi, Cas," he said, then quickly added, "-tiel." He nodded at Balthazar, then excused himself and went through the gate. He tried so hard not to sprint up the stairs, and he thanked God when he closed the door to his apartment.

Then he sank to the floor, put his head in his hands, and began to cry.

He never saw Lisa again.

 _6 years_  
"Sammy, what the fuck," Dean seethed, pacing the floor of his bedroom, "this has to be a mistake. Why? Why.? Fuck, Sam!"

Sam was saying something to him on the other end, but it was lost on Dean. He was seeing red, blurred red.

He walked back over to his desk and picked up the little monster. He cringed at the feel of its soft, smooth texture. He ran his finger quickly over the embedded bold, black letters placed exactly on the center of the card.

_You have been formally invited to attend the wedding of Castiel Novak and Balthazar James._

Dean threw his phone at the wall, Sammy's voice shattering along with it.

He ran his hands angrily through his hair, picked up his keys, and headed out the door.

*****

Dean stumbled out of the bar, his vision blurried. He felt so light, so free. He hasn't had a drink in... He counted on his fingers and then shouted triumphantly, "Four!"

People on the street looked at him funny, but he shrugged a loud, "I think I'm adorable," stumbling out of his mouth. He got to his car, or at least he thinks it's his baby. He squinted his eyes and leaned in closer. He finally distinguished the red color of the car and laughed out loud. His baby was not red. 

He glanced up and looked around, he shouted an 'aha!' His baby was across the street! Of course, he forgot he parked her in front of Cas' favorite bakery. 

_Cas._

Before Dean knew what was happening, he was crying. His vision was even more hazed as he walked across the street. He heard yelling behind him , but ignored it. He was so close to his car, so close. 

But he never made it.

 

***

"Sam! Sam!" Cas was shouting frantically, running down the corridor on the emergency room. He tangled his hands in his hair as he stopped in front of room 312. He didn't walk in though, but his gaze met Sam's. The younger man walked over to him slowly, his eyes bloodshot. He stopped a couple inches in front of him, and opened his mouth, but no words came out. 

Cas didn't need words though. The sounds of the hospital droned out as he caught the long, sorrowful sound of the heart rate monitor. 

"No," Cas said. Sam looked down at the floor, tears falling down his cheeks. "No!" Cas shouted. "No. no. no. No. Sam no! Yes not, no!" He shoved past Sam into the room, his eyes resting onDean's bruised and broken body. 

He walked over to him, and touched his hand. it was so cold. Dean was never cold. 

He was sunshine and rain, a soul full of life, someone whose smile could stop wars, but now... 

Now, Cas will never see another smile, hear his full bodied laugh. He was gone. 

"Dean, I'm so sorry," he whispered, tears falling out in a frenzy. 

He felt a hand on his shoulder and then Sam's voice was quiet in his here, "He loved you Cas. No matter what. He always loved you. Till his dying breath." 

Cas nodded once. 

"I love you too, Dean. You were supposed to be here. Damnit, Dean, we were supposed to fix this. Us. We-we were-," 

and he lost it. 

***

The funeral was a week after Dean's death. Cas couldn't stop crying. 


	2. Alternative Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's an alternative ending, it's super fluffy, I promise.  
> Starts off after *Six years.*

6 years   
"Sammy, what the fuck," Dean seethed, pacing the floor of his bedroom, "this has to be a mistake. Why? Why.? Fuck, Sam!"

Sam was saying something to him on the other end, but it was lost on Dean. He was seeing red, blurred red. 

He walked back over to his desk and picked up the little monster. He cringed at the feel of its soft, smooth texture. He ran his finger quickly over the embedded bold, black letters placed exactly on the center of the card. 

You have been formally invited to attend the wedding of Castiel Novak and Balthazar James. 

Dean threw his phone at the wall, Sammy's voice shattering along with it. 

He ran his hands angrily through his hair, picked up his keys, and headed out the door. 

*******

Dean stared blankly at the glass of bourbon resting in front of him. He hasn't a drink in over three years, and though he has every reason to indulge, he can't find himself to do it.

It was alcohol that caused him to do the sinful act that cost him the love of his life, of course amongst other things, but he knows he wouldn't have slept with Anna if he'd been sober.

They were drunk. They were lonely. Temptation and intoxication were two ugly things. He wasn't too much of coward to blame his unfaithfulness on drinking and lust, but he's also not stupid enough to know he shouldn't have drank so much that night.

His stomach churned and his mouth tasted bile at the memories from that night.

It was a mistake, an accident.

It was unforgivable, but he had hoped Cas' love for him would have made him give Dean a second chance.

He flicked the glass to the other side of the bar, and rested his elbows on the hard oak, "Give me a coke, Ash, please."

His friend placed the can down immediately in front of him, his eyes filled with worry. "Don't," Dean said, opening the can. His friend nodded and walked to the other end to help a customer. Dean picked up the can and tilted towards him.

"Hello, Dean," a voice said, he stopped midway, the liquid spilling onto his jeans.

"Crap," he muttered, looking down at his pants, "a little warning next time ma-."

Dean looked up to find a pair of sky-blue eyes, filled with amusement, staring at him. He closed his mouth instantly taking in the sight of Castiel. Drinking in the details of his person greedily. He was tanner and a bit broader since the last time Dean saw him, but those eyes and that sex hair were the same. Castiel smiled then, and Dean's heart lurched in his chest.

"I'm sorry," Castiel coughed, but Dean heard the laugh he was trying to hold back, "I didn't mean to startle you, though I'd be lying if I said you didn't deserve it." Dean's brain wasn't functioning correctly, his thoughts and his words not finding proper ground to come the Fuck out. So he stared at the beautiful angel in front of him.

Cas ran a hand through his tousled hair, something he only did when he was stressed. Or nervous.

"Mind if I sit?" He asked, and Dean nodded. Cas slid into the stool gracefully, and after a beat turned towards Dean. "Sam told me you stopped drinking," he began hesitantly. Dean glanced down bashfully at the can in his hand, his face heating.

"I- um. Shit," Cas stuttered. He took a deep breath and tried again, "I'm proud of you. And you're um, face healed since, you know."

Dean smirked at the pinkening of Cas' cheeks, but quietly said, "It's been six years, Cas."

"Right," he answered just as quietly.

Silence engulfed them then and it was, needless to say, very awkward.

Dean struggled for something to say that wouldn't have Cas running for the hills. He was taken, but it didn't mean Cas couldn't hang out with him, and after all, Cas found him. He cursed inwardly, and placed his hands tightly around the can.

Cas looked so good, his skin so inviting and Dean just wanted. But he kept himself in check. Cas wasn't his. Not anymore.

"Congratulations," Dean blurted out. Cas' eyes flickered with a spark of confusion, but then they widened.

"Right, the engagement thank you."

"I wish you two the best," Dean said, and he mentally kicked himself at how bitter he sounded.

To his amazement, Cas laughed, "Wow, thanks, you sound so sincere." Dean stared at him as he continued to laugh, and then he joined him. They laughed door a good while, tears in their eyes, and Dean ravished the sound of Cas' laugh.

When they stopped to catch their breaths, Cas spoke again, "Wanna hear something funnier?" He asked, fixing his shirt.

Dean looked away from his hands, but answered, "Yeah. Sure."

"I'm not getting married."

Dean stopped breathing. Did he hear him right? Did Cas just say he was-

"Balthazar is though, but not to me. To Michael."

"Wha- what?"

Cas nodded.

"But the card-"

"Was a cruel joke that you deserve," he answered coldly, his eyes darkening. Dean's mind was still struggling to understand what was happening, but Cas continued, "I am in love with someone else." He laughed bitterly.

"Who?" Dean asked gingerly, praying, and hoping that by some miracle Cas said his name.

"With an ass," he deadpanned. "An ass who cheated on me with someone who I considered to be a close friend. With someone who has these amazing green eyes, freckles splattered across his skin like stars in the sky, and who looks so fucking adorable when he blushes."

"I'm in love with you, Dean Winchester. Despite everything that happened. Despite what you did. All these years, and it was still your arms I wished I was wrapped around at night, and I hate myself for it."

"Do you hate me?" Dean questioned, his hands still wrapped tightly around the can. He didn't trust himself.

"No, you fucking idiot. I don't. I can't bring myself to."

Dean placed his head in his hands and swore. "The night you said hello to me two years ago, I was coming back from a date." Beside him Cas tensed. "She was a nice girl, very beautiful," he continued, "but the entire night I couldn't help but think how she wasn't you."

Cas awarded him with a small smile, and Dean released a breath, "So now what?"

They sat there in silence, until Cas finally spoke up, "Hi. My name is Castiel Novak."  
And God help Dean, he stretched his hand out. Dean hesitated for a split second, but then grasped it firmly.

"Dean Winchester," then because he's a little shit, he added, "Wanna get out of here? I could go for a burger."

Cas chuckled, "milkshakes too?"

"Strawberry. On me."

"Yeah, better be on you, jackass."

They laughed and stood up. Their shoulders brushing as they walked out the bar, smiles so wide their faces could split in half at any moment.

****  
5 years

"Cassie!" Balthazar called out, "You bastard, let me see it!"

Cas grinned at his friend, and slowly raised his hand.

"Holy fuck," Michael muttered.

"That's a doozy," Balthazar whistled, wrapping an arm around Michael's waist.

"Thanks," a deep voice rumbled behind them. "Only the best for the best," Dean smirked, walking past the couple and to his angel.

"That was so corny, Dean Winchester," Cas pouted.

"Dont care, it worked," he replied leaning down to plant a quick kiss on Cas' lips. "In a few months you'll be Cas Winchester."

**Author's Note:**

> Don't worry my loves. I have an alternative ending in the next chapter, and its a happy one!!!


End file.
